Excess water can cause deterioration and decay of plant tissues. — A, Begonia leaf rooted in sphagnum moss, showing the new plants; B, camellia leafbud cutting rooted in sphagnum moss stem-cutting propagation is carried on during the winter, a green- house or other heated propagating unit is essential. Cuttings can create a whole new plant without having to wait for seeds to germinate. - the plant you want to propagate - a sharp knife - Sphagnum moss (should be available at garden centres) - a piece of (preferably transparent) plastic foil (an old plastic bag will do fine) (about 30x30 cm) - string - a piece of thin, hard plastic (I used a piece of a plant tag, a piece of a plastic bottle or yoghurt tub or something similar would work just as well. Success was dependent upon the ability of the propagator to keep the rooting medium moist until the roots were formed and large enough to support the new plant. Wring out the sphagnum moss before applying to plants. Mist moss regularly so it stays moist. Let’s learn more about moss propagation. For optimum results, select branches that are the size of a pencil or larger. The mother plant will eventually sprout new growth on its now bare stem. Procedure. Moss doesn’t actually have a root system or seeds like most garden plants do, so propagating moss is a matter of art more than one of science. It doesn't need fertilizer or much water to grow and it's great for water filtration and erosion control. Then, you apply a rooting hormone to the area to stimulate root growth from the cut area and wrap the area in sphagnum peat moss to retain moisture. When roots appear, cut stem several inches below original cut and pot it in a new container. The moss is carefully hand picked to get optimal quality and the desired length. Learning how to propagate moss is actually quite easy. Wrap wire twists at top and bottom. Moss is an incredibly resilient and versatile plant. Be sure that it will cover the moss but not too heavy and dense. Some plants are easy to propagate by taking a cutting from the existing plant and forcing the roots to sprout from the cutting. When Only the Best Quality Sphagnum Moss Will Do One Mile Moss produces high quality Sphagnum Moss from a well managed swamp just outside of Hokitika on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Transplanting and Propagating Moss. Soak sphagnum moss in water for several hours before propagating to ensure complete saturation. During the propagation process, you remove a 1” wide section of the outer layers of a plant stem (bark, cambium layer, and phloem) in a process known as girdling. Wrap that node and the cut in the damp sphagnum moss and secure the moss with string or a twist tie. The moss should be moist like a damp sponge. 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